Summer
Za’atar Roasted Tomato Crostini with Labneh
Za’atar with summer’s cherry or grape tomatoes, slow-roasted, are incredibly good! These delectable little bites of za’atar roasted tomatoes and labneh atop crostini stole the show at many of my events promoting my cookbook when I was on tour, and often make their appearance for cocktail hour at our house. Try substituting the crostini with…
Read MoreLebanese Ashta Recipe, with Fresh Fruit
Ashta cream is the ubiquitous Lebanese milk pudding, fragrant with orange blossom water and rose water. This ashta recipe uses whole milk and cornstarch, but recipes abound and are quite varied, some using white bread as the thickener—and none using eggs, as in a traditional French pastry cream. Ashta is traditionally served in a little…
Read MoreSimple Raspberry Jam Recipe
When you pick raspberries the way my clan does, the abundance of fruit leads to an array of aspirational raspberry-laden recipes. In the end, though, it’s the simple raspberry jam recipe that takes over the lion’s share of fruit…the very best way to prolong our raspberry season joy. I love how these preserves do just…
Read MoreFresh Mint Lemonade
I love my Fresh Mint Lemonade recipe because the fresh mint flavor is infused into the lemon simple syrup, keeping the lemonade clean and beautiful (some recipes muddle or puree the mint into the lemonade). Make lots of the syrup with a double or triple batch and keep some in the refrigerator for homemade fresh…
Read MoreLebanese Summer Salads
The Lebanese sure have a way with salads…brighten your menus with these favorite Lebanese Summer Salads using all kinds of fresh herbs and vegetables (and fruit!). And, make them even better with excellent Pomegranate Molasses, Mint Salts and other Lebanese spices, and Extra-Virgin Olive Oil from Maureen Abood Market! Black cherry salad with walnuts, parsley,…
Read MoreRhubarb Squares
This rhubarb cake’s gorgeous batter yields a light, moist texture with yogurt or sour cream in the mix–a perfect pairing with the rhubarb. Serve the rhubarb squares directly from the pan. We’ve been down this path before. I could just direct you to this post, and suffice it to say “ditto.” This time, it was…
Read MoreGrilled Marinated Chicken Kebabs
Chicken marinated in yogurt is so tender and flavorful, especially grilled for a summer meal. These chicken kebabs are perfect for the summer grilling season: simply marinate skinless, boneless chicken (breast or thigh meat), thread on metal or wooden skewers, and char-grill over medium high heat. Be sure to remove the chicken from the skewers…
Read MoreSemolina Coconut Cake with Sugared Rose Petals
This semolina cake soaked in flower water syrup is one of my favorite versions of the many traditional Lebanese and Middle Eastern semolina cakes (such as namoura and sfouf). You’ll need semolina farina and semolina flour, desiccated coconut, and flower waters along with organic roses for the sugared petal decoration. All roses are edible, by…
Read MoreSauteed Spinach with Toasted Pine Nuts
Whether I’m baking the baklawa, or browning the butter, or toasting the nuts, the question is always there. That question: how dark should the baklawa/butter/nuts be? Actually, this isn’t my question at all. It’s the question of those around me. (Dan.) For me, Deep Golden Brown (DGB) is a given. It’s a fundamental need that…
Read MoreLebanese Cabbage Slaw, Malfouf Salad
This is a seriously delicious Lebanese, no mayo cole slaw — one we can’t get enough of for its flavor, crunch, and super-duper healthy qualities! While there are many great things to love about living back in Michigan where the extended Lebanese clan is . . . extensive . . . perhaps among greatest of…
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